Improvement in piano-actions



ZSheets--Sheet-l. H. v. BOEHME.

PIANO ACTION. No. 186,708. 'Patented Jan.3o,1a77.

' WH'NESSES. NVE TOR,

MPUERS, PHOTO-LTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEIGE.

HERMAN V. BOEHME, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN PIANO-ACTIONS.

Specification forming partofLetters Patent No. 186,708, dated January 30,1877; application filed October 17, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN V. BOEHME, of Sandusky, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pianos; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specication.

My invention relates to pianos; and consists in the parts and combination of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a piano with its top and sounding-board removed. Fig. 2 is a detached viewv of the action mechanism, representing` my invention.

A is the piano-case, and A2 the ringer-keyboard cover ,-B, the bottom board; C, the keyboard frame; D', the keys, suitably connected to the key-board frame, and provided, near their inner extremities, with a cushion, which protects the contact-point of the key-lever with the lower face of the fly-check lever G. This ily-check lever is constructed so as to operate of itself both the hammer and the damper. K is the supporting-arm of angular form, secured at one end to the upright k, while its upperopposite extremity is pivoted to the double split lever J The lever J is secured to the hammer-rail D by supportingscrews, and is made in a strong single piece, slotted longitudinally at either end. To the inner end slot of this lever J is pivoted the butt of the hammer-stem, which latter connects at its opposite extremitywith the hammer D2. The fly-check lever G is provided with the fly-check F, which latter receives the rear return movement by a spiral or straight spring lever, and is also provided with the usual cushion rest or stop j'. G is the adjust ing-screw, and His the back-check, suitably connecting with theiycheck lever. Attached to the upper face of the inner extremity ofthe lever is the cushioned head or boss g, which comes into contact with the damper-lifter, and operates same simultaneously with the levers operation of the hammer. M is the damperlifter, and serves to raise the free end of the damper P, secured to the damper-rail Q. The free end of the damper rests upon the rail It when raised from off the lifters. O are the wrest-planks, having holes for the wrest-pins, which latter engage with the strings ofthe piano, said strings being divided into three parts, of which the bass forms two parts, and the treble the third and remaining part, the heavy strings being strung above the lighter. Il represents the iron plate, which latter is secured by screws in elongated slots, so as to allow of expansion 5 and itwill be understood that I may use any suitable sounding-board, the latter not being shown in the drawings; but it is apparent that the sounding-board is of enlarged construction, extending in front against the inner face of the main case of the piano.

The case of the instrument allows of easy access to the linger-key board by means of the small front side cover A2, freely adjustable upon pivoted support, and constructed ot' large heavy dimension, and having its center of gravity relatively arranged to its pivotal point, so as to place the lid in stable equilibrium therewith.

The peculiar construction of the fly-check lever, operating of itself, and simultaneously both the hammer and the damper, in combination with connecting parts, constitutes the feature of my invention.

The hammers being placed in relative position to their corresponding strings, such that they strike same longitudinally and parallel, allows ofthe clear, soft piano-note, and the full cushioned head d ot' the hammer strikes the string full and evenly.

In whichever way, or according to any angle, the strings may run, the hammer is correspondingly adjusted, and kthe linger key lever causes the same to strike its string parallel, and the y-check lever, being regulated by its securing or supporting screw, admits of same being secured in any suitable position.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination, with the hammer D2, double split lever-arm J, and angular support K, of the y-check lever G, the latter provided with the right-angular arm k, {1y-cheek F, ad- In testimony that I claim the foregoing I justing-serew G', back-check H, and cushhave hereunto set my hand this 25thv day of ioned head g, substantially as set forth. September, 1876.

2. The damper P, with its lifter M, in com- HERMAN V. BOEHME. bination with the hammer D2 and y-eheek G, Witnesses: the Whole actuated by the fly-cheek lever G THOMAS B. HALL,

and key D', substantially as set forth. ALBERT W. BRIGHT. 

